“The concept of avoiding use of paper in order to save trees may seem logical and has been adopted by many. The reality, however, is that avoiding use of paper may well result in significant loss of forest land in North America,” notes a white paper by Dovetail Partners.

“The risk of forest loss in the absence of wood markets is reflected in trends for the world as a whole which show that regions with the highest levels of industrial timber harvest and forest products output also tend to be the regions with the lowest rates of deforestation,” the report notes.

“The reality is that the greatest incentive for continued investment and retention of our nation’s forests is a stable market for paper and other wood products.”